HP to help Microsoft sell Azure

Hewlett Packard Enterprise will designate Microsoft Azure as a "preferred" public cloud partner as it prepares to kill off its own public cloud offering

During the company's quarterly earnings call earlier this week, HPE CEO Meg Whitman said Microsoft would also become a preferred provider of HPE

"Microsoft shares our view of a hybrid IT approach for enterprises, and we both see an opportunity to simplify hybrid infrastructure for our customers," Whitman said.

"Going forward, Microsoft Azure will become a preferred public cloud partner. HPE will serve as a preferred provider of Microsoft’s infrastructure and services for its hybrid cloud offerings.”

HPE recently announced its intention to shut down its own Helion public cloud service next year - creating a big gap for Microsoft to slide into.

Whitman said HP was "doubling down" on managed and virtual private cloud offerings in the wake of the public cloud exit.

"This is the right move. It plays to our strengths in private and managed cloud. We will continue to extend our cloud infrastructure leadership and integrate the public cloud element for our customers through a strategic, partner-based model," Whitman said.

The former Hewlett Packard split into two earlier this month, separating servers, storage, networking, consulting, support, software and services into the HP Enterprise company, and printers and personal computers into HP Inc.